India faced over 12,000 MW power shortage in Dec 2012: CEA

Peak demand in December was 1,28,689 MW, of which 1,16,394 MW was met in the country. (Reuters)

SummaryPeak demand in December was 1,28,689 MW, of which 1,16,394 MW was met in the country.

Fuel shortage and delayed monsoon in southern India led to peak power shortage of 12,295 MW in the country during December last year, says a report.

According to the report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the peak demand in December was 1,28,689 MW, of which 1,16,394 MW was met in the country.

Southern region, comprising Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, was the worst hit with a shortage of 17.4 per cent or 6,120 MW during the month.

"Coal and gas shortage, delay in commissioning of plants and delayed monsoon in South India are the main reasons for power shortage in the country," a CEA official said.

Interestingly, power-deficit state Punjab and union territory of Chandigarh were able to meet their demand of 5,336 MW and 216 MW respectively, the data said.

But the overall picture of the northern region was not very bright as it witnessed a deficit of 3,087 MW or 8.2 per cent, including 103 MW shortage in Delhi.

In the nine-month period (April-December), the peak power deficit, in the country, stood at 9 per cent or 12,159 MW, the data stated.

At least over 30 power stations had less than a week's stock of fuel at their disposal in December, according to CEA report.

As many as eight stations in the northern region comprising Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan faced severe fuel scarcity on account of inadequate

availability of domestic coal, on an average in December.

In the western region (Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra), 13 power stations suffered fuel shortage. Five power plants in the Southern region comprising Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala faced scarcity mainly on account of less receipts from Mahanadi Coalfields, a unit of Coal India.